1. Two day conference of Power and renewable energy ministers of States
Tags: Summits National News
Power Ministry to hold a two day conference of Ministers of Power and New & Renewable Energy of States and Union Territories in Udaipur, Rajasthan on 14 October 2022.
Important facts
The two-day conference will discuss the emerging issues in the power sector.
The conference will be inaugurated by Union Energy Minister RK Singh.
The conference is expected to deliberate on strengthening the power sector with a focus on energy conservation, renewable energy and reforms in the power sector.
In the conference, discussions will also be held on ensuring round the clock power supply through investments, feasibility of state power distribution companies, smart metering, rights of consumers and future power systems.
Agenda of discussion
Viability of DISCOMs
Smart Metering
Renewable Energy and Storage
Power Sector Reforms
Ensuring 24 x 7 power supply through timely investment
Rights of Electricity Consumers
Future power system in the year 2030
Energy Conservation
2. World’s first space tourist Dennis Tito to ride to moon again on SpaceX
Tags: Person in news International News
World’s first space tourist, Dennis Tito, has signed up with the Elon Musk Company SpaceX, to fly around the Moon aboard the Starship rocket.
The SpaceX Company on 12 October 2022 said that the rocket will take Tito and his wife, Akiko, within 200km (125 miles) of the far side of the Moon without landing on its surface. The date of the launch has yet to be announced as the Starship is yet to be tested.
Dennis Tito, an American engineer and entrepreneur became the first human space tourist to visit the International Space Station in 2001.
He was launched onboard a Russian rocket with the help of US-based Space Adventures in 2001.
Few companies in the world are striving to make space travel a reality. They are SpaceX , Richard Branson-founded Virgin Galactic SPCE.N, and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin which currently offers suborbital joyrides that hit an altitude of about 106km (66 miles) above the Earth.
90 year old American actor, William Shatner, who played the role of Captain James T Kirk on the TV series Star Trek, became the oldest person to ride a rocket into space when he travelled on a Blue Origin flight last year.
Human Space Flight
The first person to go into space was Yury Gagarin of the Soviet Union on 12 April 1961 onboard the Vostok Rocket.
The first woman to go into space was Valentina Tereshkova of the Soviet Union on 16 June 1963 onboard the Vostok 6 Rocket.
The first American to go into space was Alan Shepard in 1961.
Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma is the only Indian to go into space. He was part of the Soviet mission aboard Soyuz T-11 on 3 April 1984.
3. Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022 gets Cabinet approval
Tags: National National News
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The Union Cabinet on 12 October 2022 has approved the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
Important facts
This bill has been brought to amend the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002.
The aim of the amendment bill is to strengthen the cooperative movement in the country.
The amendment to the Act will improve governance, increase transparency and accountability and reform the electoral process in multi-state cooperatives.
Election authority will be constituted to ensure fair, free and timely elections.
This amendment is an attempt to improve the ease of doing business and bring in more transparency.
Highlight of the bill
The Bill includes provisions relating to representation of women and members of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes on the boards of multi-state cooperatives.
The bill will include provisions of the 97th Constitutional Amendment.
The Constitution (97th Amendment) Act, 2011 deals with the cooperative societies operating in India.
The bill will expand the composition of the board and ensure financial discipline, apart from enabling multi-state cooperatives to raise funds.
The Bill has specific provisions for the establishment of a Co-operative Election Authority, a Co-operative Information Officer and a Co-operative Ombudsman.
There is a provision to ban the offenders for three years to bring more electoral discipline.
The Bill provides for bringing in selected directors with experience in the fields of banking, management, cooperative management and finance.
Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002
Co-operative is a state subject, but there are many societies such as sugar and milk, banks, milk unions etc. whose members and areas of operation are spread over more than one state.
This act was passed to govern the multi state cooperative societies.
For example, the Karnataka-Maharashtra border has most of the sugar mills that procure sugarcane from both the states.
Maharashtra has the highest number of such cooperative societies followed by Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi.
4. India improves its ranks to 123 on the Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index 2022
Tags: National International News
India has improved its ranking by 6 places in the recently released Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index (CRII) 2022. It has been ranked 123th in the world out of 161 countries. India was ranked 129 in the 2020 Index.
India’s rank has improved primarily due to improvement in indicators quantifying the impact of public spending and the impact of tax on reducing inequality.
The index ranks the countries on the policies made by the government and action taken to fight inequality in the first two years of covid pandemic.
Norway has been ranked as the top country followed by Germany and Australia. South Sudan has been ranked 161st at the bottom of the Index.
Composition of the Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index (CRII)
The Index which is prepared by Oxfam International and Development Finance International (DFI) measures governments policies and actions in three areas proven to have a major impact on reducing inequality.
The three areas are public services (health, education, and social protection), taxation and workers' rights.
India’s performance
Public service
India has been ranked 129th in the Public service spending. It was ranked 141 in the 2020 report.
According to the Index, India features among the lowest performers on health spending. It dropped to 157th rank, a drop of two places. The Indian government spends 3.64 % of all it’s spending on health which is lowest among all neighbouring countries. Pakistan spending is at 4.3%, Bangladesh is at 5.19%, Sri Lanka is at 5.88%, and Nepal is at 7.8%,
Progressive taxation
India was ranked 16 on progressive taxation in 2022 while it was ranked 19 in 2020.
Labour Ranking (workers’ rights and wages)
India was ranked 151 on labour ranking (which includes workers’ rights) while in 2020 also it was ranked 151.
South Asian country’s ranking
Country | Public service ranking | Tax ranking | Labour ranking | Regional ranking |
Maldives | 71 | 12 | 54 | 1 |
Bangladesh | 136 | 47 | 101 | 2 |
Sri Lanka | 128 | 85 | 93 | 3 |
Nepal | 116 | 36 | 126 | 4 |
Bhutan | 114 | 27 | 140 | 5 |
India | 129 | 16 | 151 | 6 |
Pakistan | 151 | 77 | 113 | 7 |
Afghanistan | 158 | 115 | 117 | 8 |
OXFAM International
Oxfam International was formed in 1995 by a group of independent non-governmental organizations. They joined together as a confederation to maximize efficiency and achieve greater impact to reduce global poverty and injustice.
The name “Oxfam” comes from the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, founded in Britain in 1942.
The Oxfam International Secretariat is based in Nairobi, Kenya
Oxfam India CEO : Amitabh Behar
5. INS Tarkash reaches South Africa to participate in 7th edition of IBSAMAR
Tags: Defence International News
INS Tarkash reached Port Gqeberha (also known as Port Elizabeth), South Africa to participate in the 7th edition of IBSAMAR, a joint multinational maritime exercise among Indian, Brazilian and South African Navies from 10 - 12 Oct 2022.
Important facts
The previous edition of IBSAMAR (IBSAMAR VI) was conducted at Simons Town, South Africa from 1 to 13 October 2018.
The Indian Navy is represented by a Teg class guided missile frigate, INS Tarkash, a Chetak helicopter and personnel from the Marine Commando Force (MARCOS).
The Harbor phase of IBSAMAR VII includes major exercises such as damage control and fire fighting exercises, VBSS/Cross boarding lectures and interactions between Special Forces.
This joint maritime exercise will strengthen inter-operability for maritime security, joint operational training, sharing of best practices and addressing common maritime threats.
INS Tarkash
INS Tarkash is a state-of-the-art stealth frigate of the Indian Navy.
It is built by Yantar Shipyard at Kaliningrad, Russia.
It is equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors capable of addressing threats in all three dimensions.
The ship incorporates the latest stealth features such as low radar, infra-red, acoustic and magnetic signatures, making it difficult to detect at sea.
The ship is part of the Western Fleet of the Indian Navy based at Mumbai under the Western Naval Command.
6. Complaint filed against Google in CCI, NBDA alleges
Tags: National National News
Several news organisations have filed complaints against Google with the Competition Commission of India i.e. CCI, this complaint has been filed on behalf of the News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) against Google.
Important facts
It contains the names of several Google companies such as Alphabet Inc., Google LLC, Google India Private Limited, Google Ireland Limited and Google Asia Pacific, against whom a complaint has been filed with the CCI.
NBDA in its complaint has alleged violation of Section 19(1)(a) of the Competition Act 2002 against Google.
The whole matter in the complaint is about the payment of news.
It has been alleged that Google shows news of media organisations on its platform, but not enough money is paid in return.
NBDA alleges that Google forces its news members to give news in the name of priority of news on search engine and referral traffic.
It is alleged that Google uses the content of its news members for services like Google News, Google Discover and Google Accelerated Mobile Pages only for its own economic benefit.
About NBDA
The News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) represents the private television news, current affairs and digital broadcasters.
It is the collective voice of news, current affairs and digital broadcasters in India.
It is an organisation fully funded by its members.
At present NBDA has 26 leading news and current affairs broadcasters (119 news and current affairs channels) as its members.
Competition Commission of India (CCI)
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is the chief national competition regulator in India.
It was set up under the Competition Act, 2002
It comes under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
It promotes healthy market competition and prevents activities that have an adverse effect on competition in India.
CCI also approves combinations under the act so that two merging entities do not overtake the market.
Headquarter - New Delhi
Current Chairman - Ashok Kumar Gupta
7. Lucknow's Jagriti Yadav becomes UK high commissioner for a day
Tags: Person in news International News
20-year-old Jagriti Yadav of Lucknow has been appointed to the highest post of British High Commission in India for a day under women empowerment after winning a competition on the occasion of International Girl Child Day on 11 October 2022.
Important Facts
Jagriti is the sixth person to receive this honour of becoming the British High Commissioner.
According to the British Embassy, Jagriti is the sixth winner to win the 'High Commissioner for a Day-India Edition' competition held every year since 2017.
Jagriti, who hails from Lucknow, remained Britain's highest diplomat in India for a whole day. She gained experience in many diplomatic activities.
Including holding meetings with various parties and presiding over the meeting. Apart from this, she has been involved in many events throughout the day.
During this, Jagriti met the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi as well as met West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin.
High Commissioner for a Day-India Edition
The High Commissioner for a Day-India Edition competition is open to young girls in the age group of 18-23. Last year's winner was Aditi Maheshwari, 20, from Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.
To celebrate International Girl Child Day, the British High Commission provides a unique opportunity for women across India to experience the life of the UK's top diplomat in the country.
8. India to host special meetings of UNSC on terrorism
Tags: National National News
India will host UN Security Council diplomats along with other member countries for an important meeting of the Anti-Terrorism Committee in Mumbai and New Delhi on 28-29 October 2022.
Important Facts:
At present, India is the chairman of the UN Security Council's Anti-Terrorism Committee for the year 2022.
India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj said during a press conference in New York on 8 October that the members of the UN CTC would pay tribute to the victims of the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai.
In the meetings, there will be a brainstorming on the topic of countering the challenges of 'Using New Technologies in Terrorism'.
Terrorism is the most serious threat to the international community.
Three important techniques used by terrorists will be discussed in these meetings. These include the Internet, social media and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).
Members of 15 countries will attend the meeting:
Members of 15 countries will participate in this meeting. The crucial meeting of the UNSC's Anti-Terrorism Committee to be held in Mumbai later this month will be a tribute to those who lost their lives in the 26/11 terror attacks.
In the year 2008, more than 160 people were killed in the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The plot of this attack was hatched in Pakistan.
The terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba was involved in this attack.
India's two-year term as an elected non-permanent member of the UNSC will end in December this year.
9. Tele-MANAS Initiative
Tags: National National News
On the occasion of World Mental Health Day on 10 October, 2022 the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) initiative.
Important facts
'Tele Manas' will serve as the digital arm of the 'District Mental Health Programme' with the objective of providing access to mental health support.
Tele-MANAS aims to provide free tele-mental health services across the country.
The program includes a network of 23 Tele-Mental Health Centers of Excellence, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bengaluru and National Health System Resource Center (NHRSC) to provide technical support.
The government aims to open at least one tele-manas cell in each State/UT.
A toll-free, 24/7 helpline number (14416) has been launched across the country.
In the Union Budget 2022-23, the central government announced the National Tele Mental Health Program (NMHP).
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare - Mansukh Mandaviya
10. India hosts SCO joint anti-terror exercise
Tags: National Defence National News
India is currently hosting the multilateral counter-terrorism exercise 'Manesar Anti-Terrorism 2022' to be held from October 8 to 13.
Important facts
It is organized under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS).
This is the Phase 2 of the exercise, "Phase-1 of the exercise was conducted from 27 July to 1 August by the National Anti-Terrorist Forces of the SCO member countries in their respective territories.
Phase-2 of the Exercise is being conducted at NSG Manesar Garrison, in which eight representatives from National Counter Terrorism Forces of Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Uzbekistan, Russian Federation and NSG of Republic of India are participating.
The exercise is aimed at exchanging expertise, best practices and build synergy between the Counter Terrorism Forces of the SCO RATS Member Countries to enhance capabilities for conducting Anti-Terrorist operations and countering other security threats collectively.
Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS)
The Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) is one of the permanent organs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and is headquartered in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
SCO RATS aims to facilitate cooperation and coordination against terrorism, extremism and separatism.
India assumed the chairmanship of the Council of SCO RATS in October 2021.
About SCO
The SCO is an eight-member economic and security bloc in which India and Pakistan joined as full-time members in 2017.
The founding members of this group include China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
